Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 11:7-11.

“Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?  I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you;  and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone;  for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.  As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.  Why?  Because I do not love you?  God knows I do!”  2 Corinthians 11:7-11.

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Paul had just finished his “boasting”, so to speak, to the Corinthians of his position as an apostle and his knowledge in the preceding two verses.  Now, in today’s Scripture, Paul proceeds to “boast” of his love for the Corinthians through his keeping himself from being a financial burden to them.

Today’s Scripture reminds us of the importance of love in our ministry to others.

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge;  and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous;  love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly;  it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”  1 Corinthians 13:1-7.

We can never love as we should through the flesh due to our natural condition of “Total Depravity”.

But, there is hope!

We love as we should through the Holy Spirit given to us.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22-23.

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”  2 Peter 1:2-3.

“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  2 Peter 1:5-8.